Improvement in bee-hiving apparatus



R. B. O'LDT.

BEE HIVING APPARATUS. V I No.190,509. Patented May 8 18 77.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

REUBEN B. OLDT,- OF NEW BERLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,509, dated May 8, 1877 application filed February 26, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, REUBEN B. OLDT, of

New Berlin, in the county of Union and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Hivin g Bees, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line so a: in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts. I

My invention relates to apparatus for hiving bees; and it consists in a pivoted case containing two inclined planes that run downward from slots in the top of the casing over which the hives are placed. One of the inclined planes is' pivoted, and is capable of moving upward when the shifting of the bees changes the center of gravity of the casing, so that it turns on its pivots.

It also consists in the arrangement of a mica trap-door, which allows bees to escape from the hive from which they swarm, but does not permit them to re-enter.

In the drawing, A is a box or casing, which is pivoted in standards a, that are attached to the base piece or frame B. The top ofthe casing A is partly covered by a board,-G, which projects over the end of the casing at b, and in which the slots 0 d are out. An inclined step, D, is attached to the top at the side of the slot d, and to the bottom of the casing. E is an inclined step, that is hinged to the top at e at the side of the slot 0, and is connected with the lever F by a rod, f. The lever F is fulcrumed at g, and is connected with the front of the casing by a link, h. A mica door, i1, is hinged in the slot 0, and rests upon the step E when the latter is raised. G is the queen-yard, which is partly covered by the glass strips j. A spring-latch, k, is attached to the frame B, and rests against the projecting portion of the top of the casing.

The operation is as'follows: The hive containing the bees about to swarm is placed over the slot 0, and the empty hive is placed over the slot (1, and the casing A is counterbalanced, so that the end lying toward the spring 70 preponderates, and the said spring rests against the projecting edge of the top Q. When the bees leave the hive placed over the slot 0, they pass down the'step E into the queenyard G. This end of the casing being now the heaviest, the casing tips, moving the lever F, which throws the hinged step E upward, and allows the spring 70 to spring under the projecting portion of the top.

Should any bees remain in the hive placed over the slot 0, they may escape under the mica door '5, which now rests upon the step E; but they are prevented from returning by the said mica door.

The bees in the casing naturally find their way up the inclined step D into the empty hive.

Patent 1. The pivoted casing A, having the slotted top 0 and fixed inclined'step D, the hinged inclined step E, lever F, and spring k, in combination substantially as herein shown am described.

2. The mica door 1', in combination with the slotted top 0 and hinged step E, substantially as herein shown and described.

REUBEN B. OLDT.. Witnesses:

JAMES F. NAGLE, GHAELEs WALTER.

Having thus described my invention, 1- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 

